1911 Failures to extract so no eject

[FM12]

I have a 1911 Safari Arms that wont extract fully, it looks like the fired case is hitting the next case in the mag and stopping, either by pressure (friction) from the next round, or from hitting the next round's case mouth.

When I shoot one round at a time, it functions OK, extracts and ejects as designed, and the slide locks to the rear.

I clipped a full coil off a mag spring to see if less mag spring pressure would help, i. e. not push the next round up as "tightly", but it still jams.

I tried Colt, Kimber and Novak mags, all the same problem.

I've put an empty fired case in the slide, held by the extractor, and shaken it up, down and sideways, the case holds tight.

Help!

 

[GLOCK45GUY]

When the gun is gammed, does it look like your doing a brass check (case partialy still in the chamber)?

Are you shooting reloads?

Has recoil spring been changed or altered?

 

[ranger335v]

Question: Did this reload work previously? If not, add a little bit more powder and try again.

 

[BMC]

(Originally posted by GLOCK45GUY) When the gun is gammed, does it look like your doing a brass check (case partialy still in the chamber)?

Are you shooting reloads?

Has recoil spring been changed or altered?

I've got a Rock Island Armory that does exactly what you describe. No they are not reloads, no the recoil spring has not been changed. I have had some trigger work done and a drop in beaver tail installed.

What do ya think?

 

[FM12]

Yep, Glock45guy, looks kinda like a press check, except the slide is farther back. Happens with reloads and 230 Federal red box.

 

[FM12]

The recoil spring is factory, specially designed, with 3 different coiled springs inside each other, fixed to the guide rod with a hex screw.

 

[ken grant]

Check for a clocking extractor. It could be dropping the fired case.

 

[FM12]

I got no clue about a "clocking" extractor.

What is it, and how do you check for it?

Is there a cure??

(Thanks)

 

[GLOCK45GUY]

FM12:

Tell me your recipe for your hand loads. You may want to bump up a few grains of powder, maybe.

I believe that a clocking extractor is when it rotates in it's bore. If it's position is in a counter clockwise fashion, I would believe it would hold the brass lower on the recoild face, causing the brass to "friction fit" on the next round in the mag.

Does it work with 2,3,4,5 etc rounds in the mag?

 

[FM12]

Hey, Glock45guy, that makes sense. It's spotty in performance with any brand mag, sometimes will shoot 3 or 4 before jamming, but then will jam every shot. Jams not only with handloads, but also factory loads.:banghead: Single shots work fine, extract, eject and lock to the rear, so I really think it is mag/next round related. It's kinda like the next round is too far up and blocks the fired case from coming back far enough to hit the ejector. Since the ejector works on single shots, seems the extractor mAND ejector are working properly.

Thanks for your help, btw!

Maybe Ol Fuff will weigh in here.

 

[GLOCK45GUY]

No problem at all.

Has this problem always been present, or a new one?

 

[FM12]

Well, I bought it used off gunbroker, and it never has run right. It's EXTREMELY accurate when it does shoot. A previous owner drilled two matchhead sized holes behind the front sight in the slide and barrel, apparently to act as a "compensation" type thing. But, i dont think it has anything to do with the jams.

Sometimes it will shoot 4 or 5 times without a jam. The thing that makes me thing it's mag related is that one round in the mag functions as designed, no trouble with either extraction, ejection or ejection.

Thanks, Ken

 

[crankshop1000]

Wilson Combat makes what they call a bulletproof extractor. That will likely cure any extraction problem you may have.If the empty is not being fully removed from the chamber, that is an extractor issue. The installation may require some fitting. The material of the bulletproof extractor as well as the machining is superior to most factory stock extractors. Some originals are MIM and simply not up to the job.An extractor is only about $30, so try a new one before trying to tune or tweak a worn one.

 

[FM12]

Thanks, CS1000, I'll check into it...never heard this explanation before...if'n it works, I'll let you know, FM12

 

[Big44mag]

My father had a similar issue with a Springfield, you might want to make sure the ejector is secured as well. This is a pic of the slack his had in it, pic 1 is what is should look like and #2 shows the movement.

 

[FM12]

I'll check that also, Bigmag, thanks for the pics.

 

[gb6491]

This page about extractors might be worth a look: "Extractor Tuning Tips"
Regards,
Greg

 

[GunTech]

The extractor has always been a weak point of the 1911. You can try tweaking the extractor, or just replace it with a new, good quality replacement. Check both the tension and the cut in the extractor itself.

At the very least, the extractor cut should be sharp, and the extractor should hold a case in the slide.

 

[1911Tuner]

It's the extractor...not the magazine. If it happens only on the last round...it's clocking and dropping the case. Telltale sign is a crushed case mouth at two points.

If it happens at random throughout the magazine, it's either insufficient tension or a bad hook. Worn...Shallow from the tip to the tensioning wall...damaged from kitchen-table smithing, etc.

Clocking is sometimes cured with tension...but often isn't. It could be caused by the firing pin stop being too narrow to keep it stable...or the fp stop slot in the extractor being too deep to let the stop keep it stable...or the firing pin channel in the slide mislocated too far to the right to allow the stop to keep it stable...or it could be that the channel is bored on an angle, placing the claw too far from the breechface centerline to allow the tensioning wall access to the case rim.

The "Extractor Tuning Tip" page is a pretty good primer for installing and tensioning, but assumes that the slide is within spec, and doesn't address methods for "working it out" in the slides that aren't...and it doesn't tell you how to proceed to adjust the geometry to accommodate for spec issues in the slide.

 

[FM12]

Well, I think a new extractor will be my next move... probably the easiest to try and not beyond my talents. After all, I DO have a crowbar and ahammer!

Thanks to all, esp 1911 tuner...with all your www consulting I dont know how you get any real work done!

Will report when I've swapped everything out and do a test or two, FM12